Whatever Comes Our Way
by belasgrl
Summary: Life has its ups and downs. Sometimes, the downs are really bad. How well can Mr. Peabody and Joey get through the bad times in life? Warning: Disturbing and Violent content.
1. Chapter 1

"Mr. Peabody, does my hair look okay?" Joey came into the kitchen where Mr. Peabody was cooking a meal, wearing his chef's hat.

He looked up at her and said, "Yes, it's fine."

"What about my dress?"

"Josephine, you look beautiful."

"Mr Peabody, you're not paying attention!"

"Yes, I am. Don't worry."

"I just want everything to be perfect tonight."

Continuing with his cooking, Mr Peabody said, "Josephine, everything will be fine."

"But i don't want to mess up. I try so hard not to mess up. I'm not good at this social stuff." She tried not to start crying.

Mr Peabody picked up a tissue and handed it to his daughter. "Now, now," he said, gently. "You have nothing to worry about, I promise."

"But-"

"Sweetheart, you strive too hard for perfection. You demand too much from yourself, and that only makes you miserable. If you relax and simply be yourself, things will naturally fall into place. Now, take a deep breath and wipe your tears."

Joey did so. Mr. Peabody always knew the right things to say.

Later on, Alessandro and his adoptive parents arrived. Mr. Peabody invited them in. Joey had met Alessandro's parents before, but this was the first time that they had visited there. She also didn't feel completely comfortable around them yet, but she hoped that would change soon.

They all went to the living room. Joey and Alessandro sat on the couch beside each other, and Alessandro's parents and Mr. Peabody sat in chairs.

Although Mr. Peabody could have done all the socializing with Alessandro's parents, Joey wanted to try to carry on conversations with them. She wanted to make a good impression on them, and this was her chance. Unfortunately, though she tried her best, she became nervous. She couldn't make eye contact, which she knew was important. Alessandro whispered, "Joey, what's wrong?"

Joey looked confused and replied, "Nothing, why?"

"You're shaking, and you're squeezing my hand."

Letting go of his hand, she apologized, embarrassed. Alessandro rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

Alessandro's mother asked, concerned, "Josephine, are you alright?"

Joey nodded.

"Is anyone hungry?" Mr. Peabody asked everyone.

"I have Asperger's Syndrome. It's a social disorder. I have trouble interacting with people. I'm really sorry I'm acting so weird. I'm trying to make a good impression on you both."

At first, Alessandro's parents seemed surprised at her statements since they were blunt and sudden, but then they smiled. Alessandro's mother said, "We understand. You don't have anything to worry about. You have made a good impression on us, and we are so happy that you and Alessandro are so happy together. I have a cousin who has Asperger's."

"Really?" Joey asked.

"Yes, and he's one of the sweetest people you could ever meet."

Alessandro's father said, "Please don't feel nervous around us. We like you very much, Josephine. You have nothing to worry about."

Joey sighed in relief and tried to relax.

Soon, they went to the dining room, and Mr. Peabody served the food. The talk at the table was pleasant. Mr. Peabody said, "Alessandro, Josephine told me that lasagna is your favorite food."

Alessandro nodded and replied, "Yes, sir." Then, Alessandro asked, "How is my English? I have been working hard to learn more of it."

Mr. Peabody replied, "It is improving. You should be proud of how much you have done."

"Thank you, sir."

"Alessandro, you don't have to continue calling me sir. Mr. Peabody is fine."

Joey smiled. She was so happy that her boyfriend and her father got along so well.

Later, Joey and Alessandro got some alone time. Mr. Peabody and Alessandro's parents stayed in the dining room while Joey and Alessandro went into the living room. They hugged and kissed and then snuggled on the couch. They talked softly about different things. They talked about a school dance that was coming up and about spending time at the art gallery that weekend. That moment was pure bliss.

After that, Alessandro's parents and Alessandro thanked Mr. Peabody and Joey for dinner and the visit, and then they left.

Joey helped her father clean the dishes. She said, "I'm sorry for being so weird. I didn't want to embarrass you." Mr. Peabody replied, reassuringly, "You didn't, Josephine. I'm very happy that you were so polite and nice."

"I feel like I was too strange."

Mr. Peabody hugged her. "You were wonderful. I'm very proud of you."

She relaxed in his arms. Mr. Peabody always knew how to make her feel better.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. Tonight has meant so much to me."

"I know, and I'm glad you had a good time."

"I just hope they did."

"I'm positive they did. Now, let's finish up and get you to bed." 


	2. Chapter 2

One day after school, Joey got in the sidecar of Mr. Peabody's motorcycle. Mr. Peabody noticed immediately that something was wrong. When he asked her about it, she just said, "I don't want to talk about it here." She didn't say anything else during the ride home.

As soon as they got into the penthouse, Joey dropped her backpack and threw her arms around Mr. Peabody and cried. He hugged her and let her sob until she quieted down. "What's wrong, Josephine?" he asked, softly.

"I can't do anything right!" she screamed.

"What do you mean?"

"I never do anything right! What's the point of even trying anymore?!"

"What happened at school today?" Mr. Peabody asked, worried.

"Nothing. I just can't do anything right! I do everything everybody says, and I still fail!"

"Josephine, let's sit down and talk about it."

"What good does it do?! Talking never solves anything!" She sat on the floor, opened her backpack, and started throwing things out of it. "What's the point of all this?!" she shrieked. "None of this even matters!"

The canine sat down beside her and held the teenager in his arms. "Josephine, it's alright." He cradled her until she calmed down. She sobbed again. "Sweetheart, I'm here. I'm listening. What happened today?"

"I told you; nothing happened. I'm just tired of everything. I can't do this anymore. I don't even care anymore."

"Is school making you too stressed?"

"I can't deal with it. I can't deal with anything."

Mr. Peabody continued to hold her. "Josephine, this is a safe place. You're safe here with me. I will do everything I can to help you. If you need to relax for a couple of days, I can arrange it."

"No," said Joey, shaking her head. "No amount of 'relaxing' is going to help. I'm finished. I just want to stop the world and get off."

Mr. Peabody was quiet for a few moments. He had to carefully think about what to say to her. Joey hadn't had a meltdown like this in a while. "How long have you been feeling like this, Josephine?"

"I don't know. A while," she replied, exhausted.

Mr. Peabody hugged her, tightly. "Why didn't you tell me? You know you can tell me anything. I'm here for you."

"But I need to learn to handle this stuff by myself."

"You don't need to. You aren't alone. Everyone needs someone to help them through difficult times, and that's alright. It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help or to take a break from stressful things. I don't want you to hide from me. Now, do you know exactly what is bothering you? What events have taken place for you to get so upset?"

Josephine paused. "I got an A- on my English test, for one thing."

"That's wonderful! I'm proud of you!"

"No! It's not good enough! I'm suppose to be good at all my classes, especially English! I mean, it's my favorite one! And I couldn't understand the chapter we did in science, and I should have been able to. I tried telling a joke to my friend, and it was so stupid that she didn't think it was funny. I'm not good at anything and never will be!" She started crying again.

"Josephine," Mr. Peabody said, still holding her, "you are a very wonderful and bright girl. I want you to repeat after me: I am enough."

"Mr. Peabody-"

"Please, Josephine, say it."

Joey looked away, a little annoyed, but then, she said, reluctantly and quietly, "I am enough."

"Again, louder."

"I am enough."

"Louder."

"I am enough!"

"Wonderful. Now, every time you feel you are inadequate, say that to yourself. Remind yourself that you are amazing the way you are. I also think you need a day or two to unwind. It's alright to relax. I love you, Josephine."

"I love you, too, Mr. Peabody." 


	3. Chapter 3

"Thank you for all this, Mr. Peabody." Joey stood in front of her father, looking breathtaking and somewhat out of character in a long, dark purple spaghetti-strap prom dress that had tiny studded gems along one side. Her hair was curled, and most of it was in an updo except for a thick strand of wavy hair on each side of her face.

Mr. Peabody took multiple pictures of her with a digital camera. He paused and asked, "For what?"

"For everything!" she replied, happily. "For getting me the dress, letting me get my hair done..." She looked away, becoming uncomfortable. "I really didn't want you to. I mean, I wasn't going to go to the dance in the first place. It all seemed like too much trouble just doing this stuff for me."

"Nonsense!" the canine cried out. "You deserve every bit of it! Besides, it's your first dance! It's a great milestone in your life."

"I'm a little nervous."

"Don't be. You're going to have a wonderful time tonight. Now, Alessandro is going to be here any minute. Oh, wait. Before you go..." Mr. Peabody walked to his room and came back moments later, holding a necklace with a silver star pendant. "I'd like you to wear this."

Joey's eyes widened. "It's beautiful!" she gasped.

"I was hoping you would like it," he said. Then, he grew serious. "Josephine, I want you this to remind you that you are a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart. You deserve the best and nothing less. I want it to remind you that you are loved and a shining example of a wonderful daughter." His voice faltered as if he was going to cry. Joey had tears in her eyes. "You are growing up so fast..." Mr. Peabody said. Then, he quickly became more cheerful. "Here, let me put this on you." Joey slowly sat on the couch, careful not to tear up her dress, and Mr. Peabody stood up on the couch and put the necklace on her. "There!" he said, softly.

Right at that moment, Alessandro entered the penthouse. Joey stood up and smiled, while Mr. Peabody beamed and grabbed his camera.

Alessandro wore a black suit, and his hair was neatly combed and stiff from hair gel. He held a bouquet of red roses and handed them to Joey. She immediately smelled them and thanked him. Alessandro took a black rose out of the bouquet. "I'm sorry this one is fake, but I hope you like this one, as well."

Joey took the black rose and stated, "I love them all. And the black one will last, like the memories of tonight."

Mr. Peabody said, "Alright, you two. Pose for some pictures." He continued taking photographs. He had taken various snapshots of Alessandro giving Joey the roses. After Mr. Peabody was finished taking pictures, he said, "Okay, come on. We don't want you two to be late. Have a good time. I'm sure you will. Josephine, be home by 11. Give me a hug."

Joey and Mr. Peabody hugged, but Mr. Peabody wouldn't let go. Joey said, "Uh, Mr. Peabody, you can let go now."

"Oh, yes, ah..." Mr. Peabody released her and laughed, nervously. "Well, you two should get going."

The two teenagers waved and left.

Mr. Peabody looked at the elevator doors until long after they left. He sighed. Josephine was growing up so fast. He knew he couldn't stop it, but he wished he could hold on to moments with her longer. At least she was happier now than she had been when she was younger, and he had plenty of time to make more memories with her. 


	4. Chapter 4

Joey and Alessandro arrived at the school and went into the gymnasium together. There were already a lot of people there, but the two certainly weren't the last ones who showed up.

Although they weren't amazed by the decor, the two still liked it. The theme was Paris, France. There was a replica of the Eiffel Tower where people could get their picture taken under. There were tables with plates of croissants, cheese, vegetables, and meat, and there was a big bowl of punch. Loud music was playing.

Joey flinched. "What's wrong?" Alessandro asked.

"The music...It's so loud..."

"We can leave if you need to."

"No, I'll get used to it."

Changing the subject, Joey said, "Let's get something to eat."

Alessandro nodded, and they both got a little bit of food and punch. Then, they stood in a place away from the crowds.

"Are you okay?" Alessandro asked.

Joey nodded. "Yeah."

"I was worried about you," he said in Italian.

"I'm okay, really."

"You were gone for a couple of days."

"I told you on the phone that I had had a meltdown and couldn't function. It was really, really bad."

"I know. I'm glad you're feeling better." He kissed her on the forehead.

After they got done eating, the two walked to the dance floor. They spent a lot of time dancing. Then, they took a picture under the Eiffel Tower. Joey whispered, "The real one looks a lot better, but this one is okay."

The night seemed to go by, slowly. The two teenagers mostly focused on each other. It was a great night.


	5. Chapter 5

The dance ended, and everyone was leaving. As Alessandro and Joey waited for the crowd to disappear, someone bumped into Joey. The person, a girl in their class, apologized then said, snootily, "Hey, you're that girl who has a dad who's a dog."

"Yes, I'm Joey Peabody."

"You must be a bitch, since you're part dog."

"What?"

Alessandro pulled on Joey's arm, but Joey refused to move. "I'm adopted."

The girl sneered. "Oh, that makes sense. Did you need to have a pet all to yourself?"

Joey became enraged. "You bitch!"

"Why don't you run home to your dog? I'm sure you have to feed him."

Joey screamed, "How dare you say that about my dad?!"

"What are you going to do, mutt?" the girl yelled.

Suddenly, a teacher ran to them and got in between them. "Enough! No fighting!"

"But she-"

The teacher cut Joey off. "Go home, both of you!"

Defeated, Joey left with Alessandro. She cried in the car but tried to pull herself together before entering the penthouse.

Mr. Peabody beamed when he saw them. "How was the dance?"

Alessandro replied, "It was wonderful."

"Yeah," Joey said with a fake smile.

Mr. Peabody immediately became concerned. "What's the matter? What happened?"

Saying nothing, Joey ran to her room. "Alessandro, what happened?"

"A girl made fun of her right before we left."

"Oh, dear..."

Alessandro said goodbye and left, then Mr. Peabody went to Joey's door and knocked. At first, she wouldn't answer, but then she said, "Come in."

Mr. Peabody entered his daughter's room. He sat on the bed beside her and gently rubbed her back. She sat up and cried on him. When her crying softened, he asked, softly, "Josephine, what happened?"

Joey then told him everything her classmate had said. When she finished, she sobbed some more.

Mr. Peabody was quiet for many moments. "There are people who don't and will never understand our situation. Indeed, our family is unconventional, but what matters is that we love each other. Not everyone is nice and accepting, but those that hurt you don't matter. I know it's hard to move on from harsh words, but if you focus on it too much, you'll be robbed of your happiness. I love you so much, no matter what anyone says."

Joey wiped her eyes and tried to put on a brave face. "I'm feeling better now."

Mr. Peabody raised an eyebrow. "Are you?" he asked, skeptically.

She could never fool him.

"I think, in life, I will always have to lie about my feelings. I can't show weakness. Honesty isn't always the best policy."

"Why would you say all those things?" Mr. Peabody asked.

"Because it's true. I can't let things bother me. I can't run and hide every time something goes wrong."

"Josephine, it's alright to need time to recover from difficult events. It's normal to need someone to talk to. It's not showing weakness. You know you can come to me if you ever need anything."

"I can't keep running to you every time I have a problem. I need to start handling things alone."

"Before Mr. Peabody could speak, Joey changed the subject. "I had a great time at the dance. There was a replica of the Eiffel Tower. It looked okay, but I told Alessandro that the real thing is way better. There was some food and lots of loud music and dancing. The music was too loud. Oh, well. I still had a good time."

"That's wonderful, Josephine. I'm glad you had a good time. Now, you should get ready for bed."

Joey nodded and did.


	6. Chapter 6

The dance had been held on a Friday, and the weekend after that was quiet and pleasant.

When Monday came, Joey woke up, got ready for school, and, as usual, Mr. Peabody took her to school. Joey went into the building and walked to her locker and took her supplies out for her first class.

While she was walking to her class, she could swear that a lot of people were snickering at her, but she dismissed it, thinking that it wasn't true.

As usual, Joey entered the classroom and sat at her usual desk and drew in one of her notebooks, waiting for class to start.

Like every school day, Joey never paid attention to anyone who came into the room except for the teacher. She was comfortable in her own little world.

Suddenly, Joey was startled when she heard someone say, "Hey, bitch!"

Joey looked up and saw two girls were smirking at her. She ignored them and started to draw again.

One of the girls said, "What's wrong, dog? Do you need a treat?"

Oh, great. More people were starting to tease her. She remembered what Mr. Peabody told her and kept ignoring them until one of the girls snatched her sketchbook off her desk. "Hey, give that back!"

Both of the girls flipped through the sketchbook and laughed. "What kind of crap is this?"

"Well, how do you expect her to draw well when she holds her pencil with a paw?"

"Please give it back," Joey pleaded.

One of the girls dropped the now-slightly-crumpled sketchbook on Joey's desk. It took everything she had not to cry. The girls sat down just as the teacher came in.

In every class after the first one, at least one person teased and harassed her, mostly saying that she was a dog. She was relieved when the day was over.

Joey tried to put on a happy face when Mr. Peabody picked her up, but she failed, miserably. Immediately, her father asked, "Josephine, what's the matter?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

She didn't say anything about her day, even when Mr. Peabody asked her a couple of times to do so. She kept it all to herself that night.

The teasing and harassment didn't get any better, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, and it got worse after one day, she cried. Then, people started saying she was a crybaby and a puppy. She tried so hard to ignore it because she thought that was the best thing to do. She thought she needed to handle it all by herself.

Joey couldn't. It was all too painful.


	7. Chapter 7

Joey had been teased before throughout her life, but never this much or this harshly. She was so confused. She avoided pretty much everyone except her two friends and her boyfriend, and no one had made fun of her before for being adopted by a dog or for crying. It all didn't make sense.

Joey knew she had people she could talk to, but she was determined to handle this by herself, despite having a feeling deep down that she needed to turn to someone about it.

One night, while she was alone in the bathroom, she put her hands on both sides of the sink, leaned forward, and looked at herself in the mirror. "What did I do wrong?" she quietly asked herself. "Did I do something bad or hurtful to someone? I must have. I try so hard to be nice to people. It must be me. It HAS to be me. It's MY fault. I can't let anyone see me like this. No one deserves to suffer because of me. I can't hurt Mr. Peabody and Alessandro and my friends. I need to be strong. I can't go through life as a crybaby."

"Nothing helps anymore. Drawing doesn't help. Writing doesn't help. Music doesn't help. There's nothing else I can do."

Suddenly, she saw one of her razors. Flashbacks of the past raced through her mind. She remembered when she used to cut herself. Since she had started living with Mr. Peabody, she had stopped.

It was so tempting, like it was calling to her, beckoning her to pick it up.

She did.

Only briefly did she think of the risk of being discovered and sent to a mental hospital again, but the thought went away as quickly as it came.

The blades gleamed in the bathroom light. She would be more discreet this time. She would do it where no one would see it.

Joey put the razor in her pocket and left. She didn't want Mr. Peabody asking why she was in the bathroom for so long. She hurried to her bedroom and closed the door.

Joey lifted her nightgown up and ran the razor across a spot on her leg that was close to where her underwear was. At first, she ran it over her skin lightly, but it didn't hurt, so she ran it over and over again until it started bleeding. She felt both numb and euphoric at the same. It was working.

When she stopped, she had a neat line that bled. She wiped it with tissues, then went back to the bathroom and washed the cut and put hydrogen peroxide on it and flushed the tissues down the toilet. No one would find out what she did.

The days went on, and the teasing and harassment didn't stop. She was able to hold her head up high. She could deal with it as long as she could cut. In her mind, it was a win-win; she had a way to cope, and she didn't have to bother or hurt anyone with her problems.

One night, while she was doing her nightly ritual of cutting, she noticed that more blood was running off of her leg than usual. She tried to stop the flow with tissues, but it didn't help. She felt a huge amount of pain instead of numbness or relief. Although she didn't want to, she screamed in pain. She felt faint, and she blacked out.


	8. Chapter 8

The body is a mystery. It is so fragile, yet it is so strong. Though many things have been learned about it, there are still many questions that may never be answered.

Joey weakly opened her eyes. She found that she was lying down on a hospital bed. There was an IV in her arm. Turning her head, she saw that Mr. Peabody was sitting in a chair next to her. When she said his name, he immediately lifted his head. "Josephine!"

The canine had bags under his eyes and looked worse than death. His tired face became alert when Joey stirred. "How are you feeling?" he asked his daughter.

"I'm-" Joey cringed in pain as she tried to sit up. Her leg was hurting. She looked under the blanket and her gown and saw that her leg was bandaged. Then, she remembered.

She looked at Mr. Peabody, who had tears in his eyes. "What happened?" he asked her.

Joey looked away from him and squeezed her eyes shut. When he said her name, she started crying. She felt his arms wrap around her, and she broke down and cried and screamed in his chest. He cried with her.

Mr. Peabody continued to hug her when their crying softened. "I...I didn't mean to cut that deep," Joey said.

The canine's voice shook. "What happened, Josephine? What's hurt you?"

At that moment, Joey knew that she couldn't hide any more. She told him everything that had happened to her from the time she had started being teased to that moment. Her father listened carefully, then asked, quietly, "Sweetheart, why didn't you tell me you were being bullied?"

"I wanted to handle it by myself and not drag anyone into it. I thought I could do it."

Mr. Peabody looked like he was physically in pain. "Josephine," he said, swallowing hard, "I wish you would have told me. Keeping things like that a secret are dangerous. I don't want you to feel like you can't come to me when you have a problem."

"But I can't run to you all the time!" the teenager cried. "I've got to learn to stand on my own feet!"

She turned her head, but he gently cupped her chin with his paw and turned her head until they locked eyes. Very seriously, he said, "You shouldn't try to deal with these kinds of things by yourself. It's not weakness or incompetence to ask for help. Everyone needs someone to go to. You have me. You can come to me with any problem you have. I WANT you to come to me, Josephine."

He held her again and kissed her head. "I love you so much, my precious little girl. Please, don't ever do that again."

Joey cried again in his chest.

Later, Alessandro came by, holding a bouquet of red roses. He gave them to Joey. "Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Better," she replied, smelling the roses.

They looked at each other, then Alessandro hugged her. "I was so scared when I found out you were in the hospital."

"I'm sorry I scared you both."

Mr. Peabody said, "The important thing is that you're going to be alright."

Alessandro nodded, agreeing with him.

As the teenage boy held Joey's hand, Mr. Peabody said, "Josephine, I want you to always remember something: You are not alone. You are never alone. You will never have to go through difficult times by yourself. You are loved. You are cared for. You are cherished, and you always will be. You deserve happiness, and don't ever doubt that you do."

Joey was quiet, thinking. Then, she said, softly, "Okay. I'm...I'm going to try to remember that. I'll ask for help from now on."

Mr. Peabody kissed her forehead, and Alessandro kissed her cheek. Indeed, she was loved.


	9. Chapter 9

"Mr. Peabody, is it okay if I invite a couple of friends here for a sleepover?"

Mr. Peabody looked up at her. He was looking at a stack of papers. "Of course, Josephine. Who are you thinking of inviting?"

"Christy and Jessica. I was thinking about having it this weekend "

"That's fine. Ask them to come over on Friday night. We can go shopping on Thursday to get some snacks and rent movies. How does that sound?"

Joey kissed Mr. Peabody on the cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Peabody!"

Friday arrived, and Joey, Christy, and Jessica came to the penthouse from school. The two guests set their bags in the living room out of the way.

Mr. Peabody came into the living room. "Hello, girls."

"Hi, Mr. Peabody," they stated.

He smiled. "I'm going to make cookies. It will take a while, so please make yourselves comfortable. Go ahead and order pizza." He handed Joey some money then went back into the kitchen.

Joey ordered three pizzas. The teenage girls sat on the couch and watched a movie. When the pizzas came, they ate in the living room, which Mr. Peabody usually didn't allow. The girls talked about school, boyfriends, and various other things.

Later, Mr. Peabody came out. "The cookies are ready," he said, cheerfully. He brought out a big plate of chocolate chip cookies and three plates. He set them down on the coffee table. Christy and Jessica thanked him, and Joey gave him a hug.

The guests put a couple cookies on their plates. Jessica examined hers, carefully. Seeing this, Joey said, "Mr. Peabody is the best chef in the world. His cookies are amazing."

Jessica and Christy each took a bite. "You're right. These ARE amazing." The three girls ate most of them, and Joey put the rest of them away for later.

Mr. Peabody walked to a doorway. "Well, I'm going to be in the study. Call me if you need anything. Have fun!"

For the rest of the night, Joey, Jessica, and Christy watched movies, played games, and talked. Time passed quickly, and at 11:00, Mr. Peabody came in. "Since it's a special occasion, you can stay up as late as you want to. All I ask is that you be quiet."

They agreed to this, and Joey kissed him good night.

They stayed up until 1:30, then all three decided to go to sleep. They laid down on separate air mattresses on the floor near each other.

A little later, Joey was almost asleep when she heard Jessica whisper to Christy, "I thought there'd be dog fur in the cookies."

"There wasn't. They were actually pretty good. Joey's lucky. I kinda wish my dad was like hers."

"What? A dog?"

"Loving. He doesn't pay that much attention to me like Mr. Peabody pays attention to Joey."

"I don't know why you'd be jealous of her. Mr. Peabody is a dog. You'd be laughed at and bullied. She cut herself because of it."

Joey immediately sat up. "Mr. Peabody is the greatest dad in the world!" she yelled out, almost crying. "He's been there for me when I've needed him, and he's not the reason that I've cut! I don't care that he's a dog! It's people like YOU that depress and hurt other people!"

Joey stood up and ran out of the room, crying. Mr. Peabody ran out of his bedroom, alarmed. He saw his daughter go in her room and slam the door and heard her crying from inside. He knocked on the door. "Josephine?"

She didn't answer.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Let me come in."

A few moments later, Joey slowly opened the door, then she walked to her bed and laid down. Mr. Peabody sat down beside her. "Josephine, what's the matter? I heard you yelling."

Joey remembered that she needed to be open and honest about her feelings. "Jessica was…mean."

"What did she say or do?"

"She criticized you for being a dog."

"Oh. Come here," he said, opening his arms. Joey sat up and hugged him. Gently, he spoke, "Josephine, I know it's hard to deal with people being critical of me, but it will happen. I told you that people hate what they don't understand and that there will be times when someone jokes about or criticizes our situation. It's just something we both have to deal with. I love you, very, very much, and that will never change, no matter what anyone says."

"I love you, too," Joey told her father, still hugging him. She didn't seem to feel any better, though. With difficulty, she said, "Mr. Peabody?"

"Yes, Josephine?"

"I…I want to cut myself."

Mr. Peabody kissed the top of Joey's head. "Don't. Please, talk to me instead. Cry. Scream into a pillow. Draw. Tear or draw lines on paper. Do almost anything that will make you feel better, but please, Josephine, don't harm yourself." He held her tighter. "You're precious to me, and I don't want you to be hurt. I don't want you to end up in the hospital again, either. Believe me when I say that everything will get better. Think of this as a storm, Josephine, the storm symbolizing depressing times. It will pass. My wonderful daughter, this will pass."

Joey cried and screamed into Mr. Peabody's chest while he sat, quietly holding her. When her crying softened, he stated, "I'm very proud of you for telling me what was wrong instead of holding it all in. Now, would you like to go back to the living room or stay in here?"

"I want to stay here."

"Alright. Get some sleep. I love you." He kissed her forehead and left the room.

Mr. Peabody walked to the living room and turned on the light. Jessica and Christy sat up. He frowned. "Girls?"

They just looked at him.

"I want to educate you a bit about manners. When you go to someone else's house, you show respect, no matter what you think of the host. This is my home, thus you need to be respectful of both myself and my daughter."

He continued. "Yes, indeed I am a dog, but that is not all I am. I have accomplished many things, but more importantly, I am Josephine's father, and that I will always be, no matter what remarks anyone makes. Now, if you cannot show respect to myself or Josephine, then you are not welcome here anymore. Good night." He then went into his bedroom.

Sometime later, Joey heard a knock at her door. The sound woke her up since she was a light sleeper. She sleepily got up and opened the door and saw Christy. "What?" Joey asked.

"Joey, I'm really sorry for what happened."

"Why? You didn't say anything bad."

"You heard everything?"

"Yeah. Jessica was the one who said that stuff about Mr. Peabody being a dog. I'm not mad at you."

Christy looked down. "I hope we can still be friends. I know people can be mean, but I don't want to be. You need a friend…and so do I."

"You WANT to be my friend, like a true friend?"

"Yeah. You're nice and smart and caring. I've never had a friend like that."

"I've never had any real friends at all. I'd like to be your friend. Maybe we can hang out some time."

Christy smiled. "Sounds great."

She went back to the living room, and Joey went back to bed.

The next morning when everyone was awake, Jessica went home early. Christy stayed longer, and she and Joey spent some time together until she went home that afternoon.

After Christy went home, Joey said, "Mr. Peabody, I have a friend, like a true friend."

"I'm glad, Josephine," Mr. Peabody stated, smiling warmly. "You see? You just have to stay strong through the storms in order to see the sunshine after they pass."


	10. Chapter 10

One day after school, Christy asked, "Do you want to hang out this weekend, Joey?"

"Sure!" Joey replied, happily.

"You can spend the night at my house. My mom said it would be okay."

"That sounds great! I'll have to ask Mr. Peabody, but I'd love to have a sleepover at your place!"

When Mr. Peabody picked Joey up, she asked, excitedly, "Mr. Peabody, can I spend the night at Christy's house on Friday? Her mom said it was okay."

Mr. Peabody smiled. "Yes, you may, just as long as you aren't there without her parents there."

"Thank you, Mr. Peabody! I've never slept over at a friend's house before! Well, I've never even had a friend, but now I do, and I'm so excited!"

Mr. Peabody smiled at his daughter, warmly. His heart was filled with joy seeing her so happy.

That Thursday night, after Joey packed, Mr. Peabody asked her if she had everything she needed in her bag. She double-checked and assured him that she did. The next day after she got home from school, she checked again, just to make sure.

On the way to Christy's house, Mr. Peabody stated, "Josephine, try your best to be polite. It's best not to ask Christy's parents personal questions. Always ask for food or drinks first and for permission to use the shower."

"Yes, Mr. Peabody."

"Remember to take your medications and brush your teeth before bed."

"Yes, Mr. Peabody."

"And above all," he said right before they reached Christy's front door, "have fun!"

"I will, Mr. Peabody," Joey replied, smiling.

Mr. Peabody knocked on the door. Mrs. Dawson, Christy's mother, answered the door. "Hello, Josephine. Hello, Mr. Peabody. Come in," she said, kindly.

Mr. Peabody and Joey both came in the house. Christy came into the room and ran up to Joey and hugged and greeted her. Joey hugged her back, a little surprised.

Mrs. Dawson left the room and came back with Mr. Dawson. He had a frown on his face. Mr. Peabody stood up and held out his paw. "It's a pleasure to see you both again."

Mr. Dawson shook Mr. Peabody's paw, politely. "Likewise."

"Well, I better be off." Mr. Peabody stated, walking to Joey. They hugged. Kissing her cheek, he said, "Have a good time, Josephine. My phone will be on in case you need anything. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mr. Peabody."

Mr. Peabody said goodbye to each of them and then left.

Christy smiled at Joey. "I'm so glad you came! Let me take your bag." She took Joey's bag and put it in her room.

When Joey entered, she gaped. "Wow! Your room is awesome!"

"Thanks! Maybe later we can play some video games, if you want. Hey, wanna go see a movie?"

"Sure! I'm up for pretty much anything right now."

Soon, Joey and Christy were at the movie theater. They bought popcorn and soda and watched a comedy. After that, they went to a restaurant to eat dinner.

Joey asked, nervously, "Do you always go to places by yourself?"

"Yeah. Mom and Dad don't care as long as they know for the most part where I'm at."

"I don't like going anywhere by myself. I get lost too easily."

"Don't worry; we won't get lost. Just stick with me," Christy said, cheerfully.

At the restaurant, Christy's cell phone rang. She talked for a little bit, then hung up. She looked at Joey. "How would you like to go to a party tonight? It's at my cousin's house. He's a really cool guy."

"Okay, I guess," Joey replied, a little unsure.

"It'll be fun! I know there will be a lot of people there, but you don't have anything to worry about."

Christy smiled at Joey. Joey relaxed and accepted the offer, cheerfully. Maybe this would be good for her, getting out and meeting new teens and socializing.

Later, Joey and Christy arrived at a house in another part of the city. They were both excited.

"Hey, glad you could make it!" a guy who came up to them said. He looked quite a bit older than them.

Christy said, "Joey, this is my cousin, Nate. Nate, this is my best friend, Joey."

Nate held out his hand. Joey shook it. "Nice to meet you, Joey. You two made it just in time. It's almost 8."

There were a lot of people there, just like Christy said there would be. Joey had been trying to mentally prepare for this moment. She had practised in her head all the things she should say: "Hi", "How are you?", "This is a great party"…At least, she thought those are the kind of things she should say. She would try her best to act normal.  
Suddenly, her train of thought was broken when Nate yelled out, "Okay, everybody! Everyone's here, so let's get this party started!"

Someone turned on a stereo, and Joey jumped, startled, when the music started blasting. Most of the people in the room started dancing. Christy grabbed Joey's hand and pulled her into the crowd. "Come on!" she yelled so Joey could hear her.

"I don't know how to dance!" Joey yelled back, nervously, trying not to bump into people.

"It's okay! Just move around!"

Joey was extremely uncomfortable trying to dance in the crowd. There had to be more than 20 people there, but she told herself this was a good thing. She was mingling with people. She was going to have a good time.

A few minutes later, Nate turned down the music a little. He was holding a bottle. "There's plenty of beer in the fridge! Help yourselves!" Then he turned up the music, and some of the people kept dancing while other people went into the kitchen.

Wait. Did Nate just say 'beer'? Joey had no idea there would be alcohol at this party. She thought this was going to be the kind of party where a group of people watched movies and played games and drank soda and ate snacks. At that moment, she realized she had been so wrong.

Joey got out of the crowd, being polite as she could as she bumped into people. She was going to look for Christy. She wanted to leave. She didn't like this party at all. She didn't like the loud music or the crowd of people. Come to think of it, when she got a good look at them, most of the guests didn't look her age. A lot of them looked like adults.

Joey searched all around the room for her best friend, but she couldn't find her. She had to stop looking for a moment to avoid being hit by a toilet paper roll some people were using as a ball.

Joey discovered that Christy wasn't in that room, so she decided to look in the kitchen. She was shocked when she saw Christy holding a bottle of beer, dancing on one of the counters, holding a mostly empty beer bottle in her hand while some people cheered her on. Joey could tell Christy was drunk.

Joey walked to Christy, starting to get scared. "Christy, I don't want to stay. I want to go home."

Christy looked down at her and almost fell off the counter. "I'm not ready, Joey," Christy stated, her speech slurred. Then she laughed. "You know, your nickname means 'baby kangaroo'?"

"Please, Christy, I'm really uncomfortable." Joey didn't want to say 'scared'. She didn't want to seem like a coward.

"You can go home if you want. I'm going to stay here and party!" She started dancing again.

Joey ran out of the room, growing more and more scared by the minute. She rushed out the front door. It was dark outside. She loved the night, but she definitely didn't love parties, not those like that, anyway.

Joey didn't know what to do. She wanted to go home, but she didn't know any of the people there except for Christy, and she was too drunk to even know what was going on. Finally, she did the only thing she could think of to do.

Shakily reaching into her pocket, Joey dialed Mr. Peabody's number. When he picked up, she said, quietly, her voice trembling, "Mr. Peabody?"

"Josephine?" Mr. Peabody said, his voice immediately filled with concern.

"I…I want you to come get me and Christy," she replied, trying not to cry.

"Where are you at?" He now sounded alarmed.

"I don't know. We're at Christy's cousin's, Nate's, house. Please come and get us."

"Alright, Josephine. Stay there. I will be there soon."

After Joey hung up, she took a deep breath and went back inside to get Christy. Now she was in the living room, dancing with some guy. Before Joey could say anything, Nate came up to her. "Hey, Joey," he stated, slightly drunk, "are you having a good time?"

Joey smiled, nervously, trying to be polite. "Yes," she lied. That is all she said before she gently grabbed Christy's arm and started pulling her away. Christy protested, but eventually went outside with her.

By the time the girls got out, Mr. Peabody arrived with Christy's parents.

Joey rushed to her father and hugged him, tightly, while Christy's parents ran to her. They figured out she was drunk. Christy's mom firmly and angrily grabbed her arm and dragged her to the car while Christy's dad marched inside.

"Mr. Peabody, I want to go home," Joey said, almost crying.  
"That's exactly where we're going."

When they got home, Joey sat on the couch, still shaken. Mr. Peabody sat by her and asked her what had happened. After she told him, he was quiet for a little bit. Then, he spoke. "It wasn't your fault, Josephine. Although it was foolish of you to agree to go, you did not know any of that would happen. You trusted Christy and didn't sense any danger. I'm very proud of you for doing the right thing by calling me and not drinking."

He continued. "I don't want you spending time with Christy out of school anymore. I don't want you to be in a situation like that again, and she is a bad influence."

Joey said nothing. She stood up and went into her room. She laid on her bed and sobbed. She was still trying to process what had happened earlier that night. She was so stupid for just blindly going to the party, but how could she have really known what was going to happen? Did Christy herself know what the party was going to be like? Joey knew that she should have been angry at Christy, but she wasn't. She couldn't bring herself to be angry. Christy was her best friend, and she didn't believe she had purposely put her in any kind of danger.

Overwhelmed by the events of that night and her own thoughts, Joey fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

That Monday, Christy didn't show up at school. Joey was extremely worried about her. When she got home, she called Christy's house phone. Mrs. Dawson answered.

"Hello, Mrs. Dawson. Is Christy alright? I was wondering since she didn't come to school."

"She's fine. Thank you for your concern. She and the rest of our family went to her cousin's funeral today."

"Nate?" Joey asked, afraid of the answer.

"Yes. He got into an accident trying to drive some of his friends home drunk."

"Oh," Joey replied, quietly.

"Josephine, Mr. Dawson and myself want to thank you. Your father called us after you called him. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't."

"Yeah." Joey swallowed. "Good bye, Mrs. Dawson."

"Good bye, Josephine," and they hung up.

On Wednesday, Christy was at school again. She was quiet and avoided everyone, especially Joey. At lunchtime, she didn't even sit with Joey. Joey couldn't let this happen. She didn't want to lose her best friend.

Joey picked up her tray and sat by Christy. Christy didn't say anything.

Joey took a deep breath. "Christy, I'm not mad at you. I know you didn't want us to get hurt."

Christy was quiet.

"I'm really sorry about Nate, Christy."

Christy began crying. Joey hugged her.

"It…It could have been us," Joey's friend finally spoke. "We could have been in that car with him."

"But we weren't. We're okay."

"I'm a horrible person for dragging you into that."

"You didn't know what was going to happen. Please don't beat yourself up over it. You've suffered enough. I'm here for you when you need me."

Christy looked surprised. "You mean you still want to be my friend?"

"Yeah. You made a mistake, but that doesn't mean I hate you. I was worried when you didn't come to school on Monday."

"You were?"

"Of course. You're my best friend."

Christy hugged Joey again and then wiped her eyes.

"I'm grounded, so we can't hang out," Christy stated, "but we can still talk on the phone. Is it okay if I call you tonight?"

"Definitely," Joey replied, smiling.

One night, a scream came from Joey's room. Mr. Peabody immediately awoke and jumped out of his bed and ran into his daughter's room, where he found her, still sleeping. She screamed again, and he knew she was having a nightmare.

He sat on the side of her bed and shook her arm. "Josephine. Josephine. Wake up."

Joey woke up. She saw her father and began crying. She held out her arms to him, and he held her. Joey gripped the fur on his arm for dear life. She cried, shaking.

Mr. Peabody shushed her and spoke softly. "Josephine, it's alright. It was just a bad dream. You're safe. I'm here."

"Daddy, I had a nightmare!"

Mr. Peabody was startled, not only by her voice, but also by what she called him. Joey had never called him…that before.

"Josephine, I told you not to-" He stopped, knowing that this wasn't the time to mention it. He cradled her, trying to calm her. "I know, sweetheart. It wasn't real, though.

"It seemed so real!" she cried.

He held her closer. "I know, Josephine. That's the way dreams are. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I…I was in a car with Christy and Nate, and it crashed. There was screaming and blood and glass and-" She shook and cried again.

Mr. Peabody stroked her hair, quietly. Finally, he spoke, softly. "Josephine, you and Christy are safe. You weren't in the car with Nate. He made a mistake that cost him his life, but you made a wise decision. All you are responsible for are your own choices."

Joey nodded. She didn't let go of him. She wanted to stay in his comforting arms until all of the fear went away.

"I have an idea," Mr. Peabody said after a while of silence. "How about I take you ice skating?"

"Ice skating?"

"Yes. It's a lot of fun. I've never taken you to a skating rink before."

"I don't know how to skate, though," stated Joey, embarrassed.

"I'll teach you," the canine said, cheerfully. "It's a lot of fun once you learn."

"Okay." Joey smiled, trying to sound happy. She was still trying to recover from her nightmare.

Mr. Peabody saw through her facade and asked, gently, "Do you want me to hold you longer?"

Joey nodded.

Mr. Peabody held his daughter until she got out of his arms and lied down. He kissed her cheek and tucked her in. "Good night Josephine. I love you."

"I love you, too," Joey yawned.

Mr. Peabody left the room, and Joey slept peacefully for the rest of the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Joey followed Mr. Peabody inside the skating place. She was dressed warmly in black, and Mr. Peabody wore a red scarf and hat. They carried their skates and put them on.

They were there during a time when there were very few people so Joey would feel comfortable. She already felt very nervous.

"Now, there is no rush. Take your time," Mr. Peabody told Joey, gently, as she put her skates on. He showed her the correct way to tie them. When she was all ready, she attempted to stand up, but she immediately fell.

"Take it slowly. You need to get your balance. Let's practice standing."

It took awhile, but Joey was finally able to stand on the skates. The canine smiled. "Very good. Now, let's get on the ice."

Joey looked scared as she got on the ice. She kept one hand on the wall on the edge of the rink. She felt wobbly. Mr. Peabody held her other hand. He instructed her on how to skate. She fell a few times but tried not to get too discouraged.

"Don't worry. With enough practice, you will be able to skate like this," the teenage girl's father said, and he skated around the rink with ease. He stopped in front of her and held out his paw. "Let me help you. Hold my paw."

"I'm not sure…"

"Come on. It will be fun," he said, smiling.

Joey took a hold of Mr. Peabody's paw and shakily skated away from the wall. Mr. Peabody guided her around the rink. Joey tried to relax, but she was too nervous. She cried out as she lost her balance. Before she knew it, she fell forward, landing on Mr. Peabody. She heard a crack and him yelp. She quickly sat on the ice. Mr. Peabody was howling in pain, holding his arm. Joey raced off the rink and got her phone and called 9-1-1. Soon, an ambulance came and took Mr. Peabody to the hospital, and Joey rode along, crying.

Later, in the hospital, Mr. Peabody was taken back. Joey sat in the waiting room, shaking. Her father was hurt, and it was all her fault. If she hadn't lost her balance, none of this would have happened.

A few hours later, a doctor came up to her. "Miss Peabody?"

Joey looked at him with red, teary eyes.

"Your father will be alright. His front right leg is broken, so we had to put it in a cast and sling, but it will heal."

Although the news should have comforted Joey, it didn't. Sadly, she asked, "May I see him?"

"Yes, of course. In fact, he should be ready to go home soon."

Joey waited until Mr. Peabody came out. His right arm was in a red cast and sling. She couldn't bear to look at him in the eyes. He walked to her and said, cheerfully, "I'm ready to go."

Joey nodded, gloomily.

"Josephine, it was an accident. It's not your fault," he said, putting his paw on her knee. In response, she stood up. Mr. Peabody sighed, sadly, and called for a taxi to pick them up.


	13. Chapter 13

When they got home, Joey avoided Mr. Peabody. She ran into her room and cried on her bed. Soon, she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Josephine," her father's muffled voice said from outside, "can we talk?"

She opened the door. "Come here," Mr. Peabody said, extending his unhurt arm out. Joey didn't touch him. She was afraid she would hurt him again.

"Josephine, this wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was! I fell on you!"

"It was an accident. You didn't mean to. You could have gotten seriously hurt if you fell backwards."

"Better me than you."

"Oh, Josephine," Mr. Peabody sighed, and hugged her. "I will be alright. It's not the first time I've gotten hurt."

"It isn't?"

"No. I've played a lot of sports and have gotten injuries from them. This isn't a big deal. I will be well in no time."

He was being cheerful. Joey tried to smile, but she couldn't pretend to feel something she didn't. He hugged her again. "I promise I will be alright. Now, how about we order some pizza and watch a movie? Doesn't that sound like fun?"

She nodded.

Mr. Peabody ordered a pizza. "Choose any movie you want," he said. Joey searched through their movies until she found one. They started watching it.

45 minutes later, the pizza was delivered. "Would you get that?" the canine asked as he handed the delivery man the money.

Joey picked up the pizza and set the box on the coffee table. She got some plates out of the kitchen.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that," Mr. Peabody said.

"I wanted to. What do you want to drink?"

"I can get it."

"Please, let me help. It's the least I can do."

"Oh….Alright." Mr. Peabody wasn't used to being helped like that.

Joey poured her father a glass of water and put ice in it. She gave the glass to him. He thanked her. Joey poured herself a glass of juice, and then they went into the living room and ate pizza and watched a movie. Joey had a hard time focusing. She couldn't get that afternoon out of her mind. Every time she looked at her father, she was reminded even more how he got hurt. It was her fault.

It was all her fault. SHE hurt him. She hurt her own father.

Joey started crying again during the movie. Mr. Peabody paused it and hugged her.

"I'm a horrible person! I hate myself! I hurt you!"

Mr. Peabody was calm. "Josephine, it was an accident. It's not your fault. My arm will heal. You're not a horrible person. Please don't hate yourself. These things happen. I should have listened to you and not asked you to skate away from the wall so soon."

"But I was the one who lost my balance and fell on you."

"You weren't ready. I don't want you to blame yourself. I don't want you to feel guilty. I love you. I don't want you to feel miserable. I will be alright."

Joey stopped crying. She wiped her eyes. "I'll try to stop blaming myself."

"Good. Just remember: you are enough." He hugged her.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I…I have a deep regard for you as well, Josephine."

Joey broke the hug and looked at her father with horror. "You don't love me?" she asked, almost crying.

"Of course I do. I…" Mr. Peabody seemed at a loss for words.

Joey ran out of the room, sobbing. Mr. Peabody cried out, "Josephine, wait!" The only response he got was her bedroom door slamming. He winced as the sound shook that part of the penthouse. He felt like he was being stabbed in the heart. "What have I done?" he quietly asked himself, remorsefully.


	14. Chapter 14

Joey didn't say a word to Mr. Peabody when he took her and picked her up from school the next day. When they got home, she went straight to her room to do her homework. Later, she heard a knock at her door. She didn't respond. Mr. Peabody came in, slowly.

"Josephine, could you help me make dinner?"

Joey got up and walked past him into the kitchen. He followed. As they started preparing the food, he said, "Tomorrow, let's go on a father- daughter outing. We can go to the museum or the theater or-"

"You're not my father."

Mr. Peabody gaped, shocked. "Josephine, of course I'm your father. I adopted you."

"No, Mr. Peabody. You're Mr. Peabody, not my dad," she said, bitterly.

Mr. Peabody looked down. He knew she was hurt. He turned off the stove. "Josephine, come here," he said, solemnly. He walked into the living room, and she followed. He sat on the couch and patted the spot beside him. Joey sat down.

The canine started to speak, but he then quieted, as if he was struggling to find the words he wanted to say.

"You should invent a time machine so you can go back in time and not have met me." Joey turned her head away, trying not to cry. "You don't love me."

"Josephine…" she heard Mr. Peabody's voice say, sadly. "I do love you very, very much. I apologize for hurting you."

"Why didn't you say you loved me?" the teenage girl asked, looking at her father with teary eyes.

Mr. Peabody sighed. "I have never really told you much about my past."

"No, you haven't."

"I was always…a bit unusual. I was highly intelligent and odd, and I grew up in an adoption center. No one would adopt me. I was shunned by others." His voice was choked up, which made Joey look at him. She could see he was in a great deal of emotional pain.

"I was alone all my life and decided to devote myself to the pursuit of knowledge, but…it still wasn't enough to fill the emptiness inside. I wanted so badly to be close to someone, ANYONE, but it never happened. I was too different."

Joey looked down. She had never seen her father so vulnerable before. He never talked about his puppyhood. She had no idea that he had had it so rough.

He looked at her. His voice became more cheerful. "But, then, I fostered you, and my life changed for the better."

"That still doesn't answer why you didn't say you loved me," she said, softly, no longer angry.

"It's just…strange to me to be called…that. Indeed, I am your father, but, it doesn't…feel right to me to be called that name."

Joey looked away. Mr. Peabody asked, "Why is it so important to you to call me that?"

"Because you're my father, and calling you Mr. Peabody is so formal. It's like you want to distance yourself from me."

At that moment, Mr. Peabody lifted his head like he just had a breakthrough. "Josephine, you might be on to something."

"What?"

"All my life, I have pushed others away as a result of myself being alone. I have been distant, as you say. It has been my way to be in control of my emotions and how I interact with others. It's been my way…to attempt to not be hurt."

A tear fell down Joey's cheek. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you. I had no idea…"

"Oh, it's alright. It's all in the past." He kissed her forehead. "I will try not to be so cold. It will take time, but please give me a chance."

"Okay, Dad," Joey said, hugging him. He cringed, but it wasn't from his injury.


	15. Chapter 15

Mr. Peabody tried to get used to Joey calling him "Dad" and "Daddy". It shouldn't have bothered him. After all, he was a father. It was perfectly natural for his own daughter to call him…that.

No matter how hard he tried, the canine could not adjust to it. Every time she called him one of those names, his stomach would twist in a knot, but he still couldn't figure out why. He had to somehow get over it, though. He didn't want to hurt his little girl more.

After thinking hard about his problem, Mr. Peabody decided that he needed an external source of insight. Thus, one day while Joey was at school, Mr. Peabody went to a psychiatrist, who helped him come up with a solution to his problem.

That same day, when Joey got home, Mr. Peabody told her, "Josephine, this weekend, we are going somewhere."

"Where?"

"The adoption agency where I grew up."

The way he said this filled her with concern. His voice was a little shaky, though he tried to steady it and pretend nothing was bothering him.

"Okay, Mr. Peabody," she replied. Not wanting him to feel more agitated, she didn't ask why they were going.

That weekend, Mr. Peabody woke Joey up in the morning, and they headed out. They rode for a half-hour until they came to a building with a sign outside that said, "Dog Adoption Center".

"This is the place," said Mr. Peabody with a strange tone of voice. Joey couldn't read his emotions, but she guessed that he wasn't very happy.

They walked up to the door, and the canine knocked. A young woman opened the door. She looked at Joey.

"Excuse me," said Mr. Peabody, which made the woman look down at him. "I am Mr. Peabody, and this is my daughter, Josephine. I lived here many years ago, and I was wondering if I may have a look around."

The woman looked at him in shock. Mr. Peabody knew what she was thinking. "Yes, I am a talking dog. I simply want to look around."

The woman replied, "My parents mentioned a talking dog who was raised here, but I thought they were just pulling my leg."

Although Joey knew what the lady meant, she still automatically imagined two people literally pulling the lady's leg.

"Was it your parents that ran this establishment?" Mr. Peabody asked.

"Yes. They retired 5 years ago. I can't believe it! You actually exist!"

"Please, madam, all I want is to look around. I won't be long."

"Sure. Take as much time as you need."

Mr. Peabody and Joey went outside where there were dozens of puppies being kept in a large fenced-in area. Mr. Peabody slowly looked around, as if he was taking everything in.

"Mr. Peabody?"

"Yes, Josephine?"

She asked the question that had been on her mind for days. "Why did you want to come here?"

He turned and looked at her. "I believe if I face my past, it will help our future. I want to fix our relationship, and the only way I can do that is for me to tear down the walls I have put up all my life. I need to love freely and not be afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of being hurt again."

He looked around and told her stories of his puppyhood. He spoke of these memories with a touch of sorrow. Joey hugged him. He returned the hug.

"I would have adopted you," she told him, softly.

Mr. Peabody looked at her, smiling, with tears in his eyes. "At least I have someone who loves me," he said. "The memories aren't as painful now."

"I'm glad, Mr. Peabody," Joey said.

He kissed her cheek. "No, Josephine….Call me Daddy."


End file.
